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Tick-borne Encephalitis

Vaccine

The vaccine should be offered only to at-risk travellers.

Western European vaccines:

Two vaccines are available in western Europe, in adult and paediatric formulations. Although both are based on the European subtype, immunity is induced against all subtypes of the TBE virus. These vaccines contain a suspension of purified TBE virus grown on chick embryo cells and inactivated with formaldehyde. Both TBE vaccines provide safe and reliable protection..
Little information is available on the duration of protection following completion of the primary three-dose immunization.
Outside countries or areas at risk, TBE vaccines may not be licensed and will have to be obtained by special request.

Adverse reactions

Although adverse events are commonly reported with the western European vaccines, (transient redness and pain at the site of injection in ≤45% of cases and fever ≥38 °C in ≤5–6%), none of these events is serious or life-threatening.

Both Russian vaccines have been reported to be moderately reactogenic but without inducing severe adverse reactions. However, some lots of the Russian vaccine Encevir were recently withdrawn because of frequent high fever and allergic reactions, particularly in children; this vaccine is currently not recommended for individuals aged 3–17 years .

Type of vaccine: Killed

Number of doses: Western European vaccines: primary series, three i.m. doses, administered at intervals of 4–12 weeks between the first and second, and 9–12 months between the second and third doses. Russian vaccines: primary series, three doses administered at intervals of 1–7 months between the first and second, and 12 months between the second and third doses.

Booster: In healthy individuals aged <50 years booster doses are conventionally offered at intervals of 3–5 years if the risk continues, although in some endemic areas (Switzerland) intervals of ≤10 years are now used. In individuals aged 50 years and above, booster intervals of 3–5 years are recommended until more definitive information becomes available. Accelerated schedules for travellers: depending on the choice of TBE vaccine, the manufacturer recommends either a rapid schedule based on immunization on day 0, day 14 and month 5–7, or an accelerated schedule based on immunization on day 0, day 7 and day 21.

Russian vaccines: Booster doses are recommended every 3 years for those
at continued risk of exposure.